(Tollege M[A(Graz1[N]E~

St. (tollege M[A(GrAZ1[N]E~ Vol. 28. AUTUMN, 1945. No. 11. All Communications to be addressed to the Editor of the Magazine, St. Edward's College, Sandtield Park, Liverpool, 12. CONTENTS Frontispiece: Scholarship Winners, 1945 jacinf! 871 Advice to Anxious Mothers 882 School Notes 871 In Memoriam 883 The Dream ofGerontius ... 872 Form Notes 884 A Very Curious Story 874 My Home Town ... 896 Society Notes] National Savings] Music Notes... 876 Old Boys' Letters .. , 897 A School of the Future ... 880 Old Bovs' Notes and News 900 Examination Results] 1945 881 SPOrts Notes 902 §<clt1<0<oll N<Olltes If"r HE following boys from the College one of these some time ago, he said he " regretted \J.f entered Upholland to commence theIr that he could not claim St. Edward's as his Alma studies for the Priesthood : Robert Flynn, Mater, but he had endeavoured to remedy that Denis Furlong and Leonard Hinchcliffe. Anthony defect by becoming a Governor ofthe College and Carroll has entered the Juniorate of the Oblate by sending his three sons to the school." Fathers, and Joseph Keaveney the English ,*** College, Lisbon. It was with feelings of deep regret we learned The following have entered Liverpool Uni of the death of Br. D. F. Greenish which took versity: F. X. Brennan, R. V. Crawford, A. place on September 16th, 1945, at Prior Park Duggan, F: Ford, J. Loughe, T. D. Murphy, College, Bath. He was on the staff of St. Edward's J. Occleshaw, J. D. Peel and A. Thomas. Eric for over six years; all his pupils have now Daynes began his Medical Studies at the National passed out of the school but Old Boys will have University of Ireland. The following entered kindly memories of him and of the interest he Training Colleges for Teachers: L. Bruen, took in their welfare. F. Frayne, T. Merivale, J. Pinnington and ** * P. Tighe. Congratulations to Dr. Basil Whalley on being * * * appointed Lecturer in Organic Chemistry at We were all pleased to leam that a Governor Liverpool University. He has had a brilliant of the College-Alderman L. Hogan, O.B.E. school and university course, and in his present had been elected Lord Mayor and we wish him congenial position we are confident that he will every success during his year of office. Ald. achieve even more noteworthy success. Hogan has always interested himself in the school * ** and, its activities and has attended many school We were sorry to lose the services of Major functions and Old Boys' Dinners, Speaking at Neville, O.B.E., as a member of the Governing SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS, 1945 F. A. FORD L.V. GOULD J. D. PEEL R. V. CRAWFORD F. X. BRENNAN Absent: T. MURPHY 872 ST. EDWARD'S COLLEGE MAGAZINE. Body, but advancing years as well as pressure of Others have donated books, or money to be business forced him to resign. We thank him for expended on books. Despite the generosity of the interest he has always shown in St. Edward's. many friends there are still shelves not quite *** filled and we should welcome every gift. Amongst The Reference Library has had many bene recent benefactors are: F. X. Brennan, A. factors since the last issue of the Magazine. Carroll, S. Collier, F. Hewitt, S. Jones, F. Ley, Outstanding is the loan of the new edition of D. A. Ryan, P. Tighe, M. A. Wren and VIA Grove's Dictionary of Music by Mr. Boraston, Modems ('44-'45). whose efforts on behalfofculture are indefatigable. The Dream of Gerontius HE centenary. of Newman's conversion based on that statement: it does not postulate has passed: the religious services the opinion of one school oftheologians and reject U commemorative of that event which thus implicidy tenets of another. Newman influenced his successors no less than his contem concerned only with the process of purification a poraries have been held throughout the country. soul may undergo before meeting its God is Cardinal Newman's name will always be a house content to dramatise the passage of the soul at hold name amongst us. His Apologia which so death to the judgment seat of God, and in so clearly shows his horror for untruthfulness is a doing he utilizes the liturgy of the Church to the standard title; and The Dream of Gerontius even full. if it had not been set so superbly to music by There is described the bedside of a dying man. Elgar would still hold us enthralled. Characteristically Catholic in spirit as is that Often have we heard it broadcast, often, too, description, at the bedside are not merely friends have we heard it in our own Philharmonic Hall ; and relations but a Catholic priest. With that in fact in our own College many of us have heard solicitude peculiar to the Bride of Christ (for was Mr. Boraston, our Music Master, lecture on it, it not He who imperatively in no unmeasured illustrating his series of talks with records and terms demanded of us to be meek and humble of often by securing the services of well-known heart?) the priest pleads before the throne of the soloists whom he has accompanied. It is, then, living God on behalf of the dying man. It is a popular work. It may, however, be questioned worthy of note that the name given to this whether we do not appreciate it for reasons which Christian, Gerontius, is a Dame held in particular if not mischievous in their consequences are at veneration in the Roman Martyrology as being the least insufficient and at times irrelevant. The name of two Martyrs. With their prayers the poem was not written specifically to be set to bystanders intercede with God for one who is so music. Its beauty is none the less apparent even quickly to hear that doom, which will echo if it is merely read without the advantages which eternally in his ears. soloists, a choir and a full orchestra bring. No other poet has attempted so successfully to The poem is fundamentally Catholic; it portray that passage which all of us individually . demands a knowledge of Catholic belief in must some day make. With acute perception Purgatory and of.the truths implicit in that Newman delineates the feelings which it is felt dogma: the Particular Judgment, to mention must well up in the soul in that moment which merely one. The Catechism defines " Purgatory " elapses before its flight to God is winged. The as "a place where souls suffer for a time after feeling of utter helplessness, the dread fear of t.he death on account of their sin~." The poem is qnk.n.Qwn~ the ~wful anxiety-those emotions ST. EDWARD'S COLLEGE ~1.AGAZlNE. 873 peculiar to the moment of dissolution are our own Passing with the Angel by the demons whose when we read The Dream of Geron/ius. powerlessness Gerontius now fully comprehends, "I can no more; for now it comes again he comes to the judgment, listening on his way to That sense of ruin, which is worse than pain the choirs of the Angels adoring their Eternal That masterful negation and collapse King. The Angel recalls to him the swiftness of Of all that makes me man ..... his movement: still about the bed in the room of death pray the Priest and the others. He hears the o Jesu, help! pray for me Mary, pray! entreaties of the Angel of the Agony whose hdp Some Angel, Jesu! such as came to Thee when dying he had besought : In thine own agony ... ." " Jesu! spare these souls which are so dear to Long had Newman felt that he would suffer Thee paralysis: the haunting fear of the immobility of Who in prison, calm and patient, wait for Thee." limbs that this affliction causes gives conviction to Then Gerontius for one brief moment sees his the poignant lament of Gerontius quoted above. God. While alive he had professed : Gerontius dies with a profession of Faith. made " It ever was my solace to believe in accents strong and unwavering : That, 'ere I plunged into th' avenging flame " And I hold in veneration I had one sight ofHim to strengthen me." For the love of Him alone Earlier had the Angel assured him that he would Holy Church, as His creation, have that consolation. Be it noted that this is a And her teachings, as His own." personal belief of Newman's expressed more fully His last words re-echo the dying words of the in his volume ofsermons Mixed Congregations. Master after Whose footsteps, may be afar off at The delay in meeting his God was attributable, times, he has yet feebly stumbled: in the words of the Angel to " Novissima hora est; and I fain would sleep " thy very energy of thought The pain has wearied me ... into· Thy hands which keeps thee from thy God." o Lord, into Thy hands, .... " The delicate tenderness of the Guardian Angel Words which recall the anguished cry of Faustus as it accompanies the soul of Gerontius reflects in Dr. Faustus, who had sold his soul to the Devil. what was a lifelong devotion of Newman's. Even " 0, I'll leap up to my God I-Who pulls me from an early age, he claimed, the material world down?- was less real to him than the spiritual. In 1877, See, .see, where Christ's blood streams in the writing to Dr. Ullathome, Bishop of his own firmament! diocese, he refers to Trinity College, Oxford, as One drop would save my soul, halfa drop: ah " the place where I began the battle oflife with my my Christ !" good angel by my side." To read his poem, Gerontius has been warned that in the presence Guardian Angel, is only to be strengthened in our of his Creator, conviction that his devotion to his angel " Now sinless, thou wilt feel that thou hast sinned guardian was deep and abiding.

Load more